FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The Fresno State softball team made a deep run in the Mountain West tournament last year, reaching the championship game before ultimately falling short.
For a fanbase that has enjoyed 24 conference championships over the program’s rich history, the back-to-back losses to close the season were a gut-punch.
What happened next felt like a punch to the face.
Head coach Stacy May-Johnson departed for her alma mater, Iowa, taking the MW Pitcher of the Year Serayah Neiss with her.
Overall, 16 of 29 players on last season’s roster left through graduation and transfers.
That meant 1st-year head coach Charlotte Morgan had to rebuild Fresno State with the remaining pieces, along with key additions like pitcher Lauryn Carranco and shortstop Jerzie Liana from her previous school, CSUN.
Morgan also gave elevated roles to breakout underclassmen Mallory Vancleave and Rylee Bocchini, turned Alyssa Ramirez back into a two-way player, and told people to trust the process amid tough losses.
The 2026 Bulldogs (22-22, 11-12 MW) are one win away from returning to the conference tournament, despite the odds being stacked against them.
“There’s been a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, [the team] is up-and-down’… In reality, if you look internally at our program, they’re doing really well,” Morgan said Thursday after an 8-2 win over San Diego State.
“It’s going to take a little bit. We’re a new coaching staff. We have a lot of players who haven’t been playing, but we’re gelling. We’re starting to play as a unit, which is fun to see.”
Watch the highlights from the Bulldogs’ win Thursday, which moved them one win closer to clinching a spot in this year’s MW tournament in Reno. They could also clinch with a Boise State loss to San Jose State.
The series against the Aztecs resumes Friday at 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond.